On March 11, Alton voters will choose new selectmen and selectwoman. I am asking Alton voters to make me one of your choices. If elected, I will represent all Alton citizens to the best of my abilities.

Alton can count on me to be unbiased and to serve our town with honesty and integrity. When a difficult decision needs to be made, be assured I will take the high road. I will strive protect the safety, health, rights and freedoms of Alton's children and voters of all ages.

If elected I will ferret out unnecessary spending and work to remove it from the budget. Should we beat our budget, I will endeavor to reduce it in the subsequent year. As large items surface I will participate as a team member of the Board of Selectmen and propose solutions to minimize unnecessary increases in our taxes and strive to find other forms of revenue.

I do not completely agree with some items in the current budget. A new roof on a new school should come out of the pocket of the contractor who put the roof on, not the citizens of Alton.

I will do my best to represent your interests and achieve the outcome the people of Alton deserve. You will not look back at a later time and question your decision to vote for me if you choose to do so. Your Goals are My Goals. I request your vote for selectman and thank you.

Again the GYRL is seeking Gilmanton taxpayer money to fund its "self-sufficient" non-profit organization. (Since nonprofits are tax exempt, do they pay any taxes to the town)?

Please remember that at its inception GYRL administrators did promise to be self-sufficient through fees, donations, and fund-raising. They also promised they would not seek taxpayer money to remain in operation. However, if it is not successful in obtaining tax collection money the GYRL is threatening to close its doors just hours after the town is to vote. (Sounds like a page from the federal government).

Where are the safeguards that our tax money will be properly and effectively utilized? What has the Town of Gilmanton done or what will the Town of Gilmanton do to ensure the $52,500 is properly spent? Has anyone connected to the Town of Gilmanton checked the books of the GYRL to ensure they have been prudent and not extravagant with their expenditures and payroll?

If the GYRL is successful in obtaining public funds to fill a 70 percent gap in its operating budget, will or can its employees be considered or be eligible to be town employees and be eligible for town employees salaries and benefits? New Hampshire law does allow a town to use tax collection money to fund a public library, but $52,500 could be better spent by the Town of Gilmanton for establishing programs and procedures for town property accountability, and funding much needed improvements for public safety.

GYRL administrators say the public funding will only result is a $20 increase on the average tax bill. It may be hard to believe, but there are Gilmanton residents who need this $20 for gas to get to work and oil to stay warm.

On Tuesday we will vote for Executive Councilor, District 1, to fill the term of the late Ray Burton. I will vote for Joe Kenney, whom I believe has the experience and unselfish desire to help others which will enable him to be an outstanding councilor.

Joe, a 34-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and was deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. His military career is indicative of a tried and true leader. Moreover, his 14 years as a New Hampshire State Senator and State Representative equip him with the necessary tools to hit the ground running if he is elected.

Joe plans to devote himself full-time to the position of councilor, which is truly an asset when one considers he will be representing the residents of 108 towns. Joe, a fiscal conservative, will provide the necessary oversight to ensure that we get the greatest bang for our buck, since one of the most important duties performed by the Executive Council is to review and approve all State contracts with a value greater than $10,000.

One of the other primary functions of the Executive Council is to oversee the State's 10-year highway plan, which is the blueprint for improving the state's transportation infrastructure. Joe recognizes the disastrous condition of our secondary roads in the Lakes Region and North Country and he will fight to ensure that we get our fair share of the funds to repair these roads while sticking to a budget.

Joe, a native New Hampshire son, is appreciative of New Hampshire's natural beauty and he will use his position as a bully pulpit to speak out against the ill-conceived wind projects and the Northern Pass.

When you hear Michael Cryans say how much he cares about people, question who he actually cares about, whether he is able to help, and whether his "caring" helps or hurts you.

Did Cryans care about Grafton County taxpayers when he approved the gratuitous spending of their hard-earned tax dollars? Did he show caring for the taxpayers or for himself when he voted to give many thousands of taxpayer dollars to his employer? (How much did Cryans personally benefit — salary, bonuses, perks, etc.? — from obtaining money for his employer?)

Even if Cryans really cares, his ability to help people is limited, because he doesn't know how to make the state government work for people. And, if Cryans learns these things, will his political philosophy enable him to help people? After all, doesn't President Obama want to help people? Yet his policies are killing middle-class jobs, increasing taxes, increasing our cost of living, destroying our health care system, locking more and more people into poverty, stealing our constitutional protections, etc. President Obama's policies have made the rich richer and middle-income Americans much poorer.

I am tired of hearing politicians who claim to care about people but whose actions don't match their words. If these politicians really cared, why are things so bad for most Americans? Either they don't really care or they don't know how to help people.

Joe Kenney doesn't have to talk about how he cares for others, people tell how he helped them (e.g., http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6iwWZ4fPfw). From his years in the Legislature, Joe knows the key government players and how to get things done to help people. He has worked with these people to bring jobs to New Hampshire.

If you want an Executive Councilor who has demonstrated his caring by actually helping people, and someone who will make sure that we get the maximum value for our tax dollars, then join me and vote for Joe Kenney for Executive Councilor.

In reply to Mr. Isleib's letter of March 7, criticizing Mr. McCormack's work for the state employees' union, I would offer this rejoinder.

Mr. McCormack was a field representative for the SEA for 26 years, and a Marine Corps officer before that. A field representative travels the state, and I mean the entire state, representing the interests of state employees and working with state management to seek common ground and proper resolutions to employee-management issues.

I have worked with Steve in the past, and can attest to his honesty, dedication and hard work. He listens to all people's opinions on issues, and does not make hasty decisions. He is uniquely qualified to address the current management issues that are so painfully apparent in this town. I listened to both Mr. McCormack and Mr. Barnes at the Candidates Night last evening. Mr. McCormack's remarks clearly showed that he understands the problems that exist in Gilmanton, and that he intends to work with all parties to address them in a much more collegial manner than the present board has done.

Mr. Barnes, a nice enough individual, while telling some interesting stories, gave no indication that he understands what the real problems that face Gilmanton are, much less how he might address them. That is how I judge candidates, not by making baseless statements about their past careers.

By the way, Mr. Isleib, you and I worked together on the Class VI roads special committee, in a very trusting and open relationship. I happen to be a union steward, and so you have in fact met and worked with a union person that you have trusted and been able to work well with. Please don't judge any book simply by its cover. Read the book and learn about the story behind it, then make your judgement. You and the town will be better for it.